Safety device for handling explosives



April 6 1943 F. H. LA GUARDIA ETAL Z,315799 SAFETY DEVICE FOR HANDLING EXPLOSIVES Filed June l2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l www April 6, 1943. F. H. LA GUARDIA ETAL 2,315,79

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HANDLING EXPLOSIVS Filed June l2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A'. nasa/WON, J rG/B/u H,

April 6, 1943. F. H. LA GUARDIA ErAL 2,315,799

v SAFETY DEVICE FORHANDIVIING EXPLOSIVES Filed June 12, 1941 5 sheets-sheet s April 6, 1943. F. H. LA GUARDIA. ErAl. 2,315,799 v SAFETY DEVICE FOR HANDLlNG' EXPLOSIVES Filed.June 12, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hafua H. A suf/Rom, Y THOMAS m/vc//Es TE A 6, 1943.- F.*H. LA GUARDIA ErAl. 2,315,799

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HANDLING EXPLOSIVES Filed June 12, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. Raaf/farsa /fyMA/v maak/POM .fof/N ras/ufl,

Patented Apr. 6, 1943 SAFETY nevica Foa HANDLING 96.211' -iSNES Fiorello HrLa. Guardia, New York, Thomas. W.

Rochester, Tuckahoe, n W. Barron, Laurelton, and John T. Gibala, Little Neck, N.

' applicati@ June 12,1941, serialNo. 397,328.,

21 claims. (c1. 10s- 1t Y This invention is an improvement in safety devices for handling explosives and comprises more particularly an enclosurein which an explosive, such, for example, as an infernal 'machine, ora time bomb, may be placed as soon' as iound, so that in the event of a premature explosion thereof, there will be n'o'resultant injury to persons or -damage to propertyin the vicinity.

The-more importantfeatures' and objects of the invention are: I

1. To provide a strong enclosure, for an iniernal machine or time-bomb, constructed of steel open-Work, the mesh of which will sallow the gases of an explosion to escape but will retain the bomb fragments. Injury to persons and damage to property from ying fragments are thereby prevented, while the fragments themaelvesmay be examined and studied by bomb squad experts for possible clues..

' 2. To take advantage of the known fact that the gases from an explosion travel radially in all directions, by providinga support for the explosive in the central part of an inner spherically shaped explosion chamber, said support being spaced away from the walls of the inner chambei', and by positioning this inner `chamber in the central part of an cuter explosion chamber so that the inner explosion chamber will in turn be separated by a substantial air space and from the walls and floor of the outer explosion cham= ber. This outer chamber, for practical reasons,

cannot well be'made spherical but it is made to of such gases ture.

6. To interlace the walls of the outer chamwiuout damage to the vstrue- -ber and anchor them` to the frame so that thev meeting edges of the walls are as strong as the walls and are securely anchored thereto.

- 7. To anchor the walls andv floor of the explosion chamber by bolts which are in shear 8. To provide an improved balanced door, held by. bolts which are in shear at multiplepoints.

Other features and objects ofthe invention will be developed in connection with the Iollowing detailed description of one embodiment of 4the apparatus, as illustrated in the accompanyl ing drawings. in these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the explosive carrier ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view o Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view, in levation, taken from.

the left of Fig. 1; l

Fig, i is an end elevation, like Fig. 3, on a larger scale, showing the framework of the outer chamber or canopy;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on line. 5 5 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view, showing the framework of the outer chamber; J

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the framework of the inner and outer chambers;

Fig. S is an enlarged section on line @-8 of Fig. 4;

Figa-9 is an enlarged Referring to these drawings, in which simila reference characters indicate similar parts, the

' enclosure of the present invention'comprlses an plosion occurring Whilethe bomb is being car ried thorugh city streets is minimized, and if an explosion should occur, little, if any, darn age would result.

4. To provide means for opening .and clsingv the innerand outer chambers quickly, sothat.,`

the explosive'may be placed therein and thereafter removed therefrom with aminimum of eiort and delay.

5. To provide-'a frame' having web members A placd edgewise to the travel of the radially expanding gases, for minimizing resiane-and thus allowing the rapid dissipation and escape 4cuter explosion chamber indicated generally at v 2, shaped somewhatlike the canopy oi? av covered wagon, i`n Vthat itis on an inverted U-shaped frame and is mounted on a wheeled carrier. It'

being supported on transverse beams 8 whmh are mounted on the longitudinal beams l@ of a wheeled vehicle such as a trailer or motor truck. The cab Q of the truck is 5 flexible metallic shield Il.

section Qn line Q of I protected by a heavy The canopy 2 is of open-work construction and is made of .strong and heavy metallic cables such, for example, as are used to hoist elevators or in blasting mats. The cables are Woven as in blasting mats to form a canopy which, by virtue of its open-work construction, will allow gases resultingfrom an explosion to escape, the mesh.-

however, of the canopy being suiiciently small so that it will catch and retain any flying fragments. l

The supporting framework for the canopy 2 will nownbe described. The side beams 4 andend beams 6 form a rigid rectangular oor frame and at each end of this frame thereis mounted the upper and lower ends of these struts I4 be-y ing secured by welding. Heavy, transverse rods i@ extend horizontally from the pipes i2 to the standards lil for completing the framework at each end.

The intermediate framework comprises a ridge pole member I t extending between the pipes 'l2 and secured thereto. Thismember it is a flattened web and is placed edgewise with respect to the upwardly travelling gases. Extending upwardly from the-side beams l are a plurality of curved, web-like ribs 2li, the lower ends of which are welded or otherwise secured to the beams d, while the upper ends are welded to the ridge member it. t should be ,noted that the webs 2li are curved upwardly and converge inwardly, so as to be edgewise to the radially expanding hot gases escaping from the centrally positioned inner explosion chamber 8i), to be described later. This edgewise arrangement is important, because the hot gases are travelling rapidly and are at high pressure, and the webs, in effect, cut through such hot gases and offer a minimumo resistance thereto. The rib members 2@ are further braced by heavy horizontally and longitudinally extending rods 2i? which are secured at their ends to the end frame members i2 and which pass through holes in the ribs 2t, being welded thereto at such points. The lower or leading edge of the ridge member iii and the inner edges of the web frame The canopy or enclosurelhaving the-general `attributes and construction of a, blasting mat, comprises horizontally extending cables 26 interwoven withvertically extending cables 28 (see Fig. l1). The ends of the enclosure are similarly formed of horizontally extending cables 2S interwoven with vertically extending cables 3B (see Fig. 9). The side and end portions of the enclosure 2 meet at the pipe l2 and are anchored to each other and to the pipe i2 by supplementary cables 35 which are interlaced with the side and end portions of .the enclosure, such derstood that this particular fastening just described is merely illustrative and that any other suitable type of anchorage and attachment for the side and end portions of the canopy may be used.

The floor 33 of the enclosure just described is formed by a blast mat or the like of similar open- Work construction comprising ythe usual warp strands 32 and weft strands 34, woven in openwork construction and made of heavy metallic cable, half an inch or an inch or more in diameter. Referring. to Fig. l1, the oor 33 and the side wall of the canopy are respectively clamped against the vertical web of the beam t by a clamp plate 3B engaging against the edge ofthe oor and a clamp plate 38 engageable against the cables also encircling the pipe i2. 1t will be un- I5 lower edge of the canopy 2, the parts described being clamped very securely together by the clamping bolts 2l, which are in shear.

These bolts are placed in shear for the specic purpose of preventing parts thereof from iiying into space in the event of bolt failure, caused by an unusually heavy explosion.

The floor 33 is so suspended as to sag slightly, like a hammock, as shown in Fig. 11.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular kind of mesh o'r openwork. The essentials are that the canopy 2 and iioor 33 and the inner explosion chamber 80, to be described later, be made of very strong cables, to resist explosive forces, that the mesh shall be sufficiently open to allow the escape of explosion gases but sufficiently close for catching and retaining iiying fragments.

The lower edge of the front wall of the enclosure 2 is held against the vertical web of front beam 6 by a clamping plate ill and clamping .bolts 32. Similarly, the lower edge of the wall at the other end` is clamped to beam G by a clamping plate id and clamping bolts d6. Bolts l2 and it are in shear, for the reasons stated above.

1n order to give access to the explosion chamber 2, a door t@ is provided at one end thereof.

The frame of the door is formed by vertical web members iii?, Figure 8, extending between pipe i2 and the lower end beam t, these webs being braced apart by horizontal struts 5&3, certain of which, such as 56 and 53, form upper and lower sills for the door. The inner edges 0i' these parts are also chamfered, as at 25. 'Welded to each of the webs E2 and extending outwardly# therefrom are two upper brackets 6D and two lower brackets iii.

Referring to Fig. 4, the framework of thedoor t@ is formed of vertical and horizontal webs 6l, the space within the frame of the door being crossed by vertical rods or struts B5 and horizontal rods orl struts Si?, welded to each other where they cross, and to the frame, for forming a rigid door. Cables comprising lateral strands @t and vertical strands 'it are interwoven to form an open-work mesh and are also intertwined with and supported by the horizontal and vertical strutsl t5 and 66.

The `vertical sides of the door are provided with upper brackets lil and lower brackets 12. Each group of four upper brackets Stand 1U and four lower brackets 62 and 'i2 are provided with aligning apertures for receiving a locking rod 14. Where this rod 74 passes through a bracket there are provided two points of shear and inasmuch as each rod i4 goes through four brackets, eight points of possible shear are provided.

Since the door is quite heavy, a block and cated generally at 80 (see Figs. 5 and 7).

inner chamber is composed essentially of two Vhemispherical members v82, each of said memtackle arrangement indicated rgenerally at 'I8 maybe provided for raising and lowering the door, the upper'block being supported by the arm.'|8.

The door may be hinged 'or not, as desired.

, and this is permitted by the open mesh construc- As shown, it is hinged or pivoted on the rod 19,

mounted in.suitable apertures in the vertical frame members 52.

Instead of the single canopy and single oor vso far described, either or both of these may be made double, if desired, for 'greater strength.

There has thus far been described the outer vault or canopy, which could serve as an explosion chamber, especially if the double thickness construction just describedis used. However, the invention preferably comprises an inner explosion chamber mounted substantially centrally within the outer chamber that has just been described, and spaced both from the walls and the-floor of the outer chamber.

This innerchamber, in which ,the explosive is placed, is preferably spherical inI shape as indi- This bers comprising a main circular frame member 84,. Ihese frame members 84 are hinged 'together at their lower vedges by a heavy hinge indicated at 86. The chamber 80 is supported on one or more transverse beams 88, for supporting the enclosure some distance above the blast mat oor 33 of enclosure 2.

Each hemisphere 82 comprises curved crissf cross framing rods 90 welded td each other where they cross, and welded at their ends -to circular member 84 thereby forming a very rugged semi-spherical frame. Thisframe is covered by some suitable form, ofopen-work mesh construction, as shownv in Fig.'5, the cables being intertwined or interlinked in any7 convenient manner for providing a mesh construction suiiiciently open to allow the escape of hot high-presfragments.

- In order to lock the two halves 82 closed, there are provided cooperating outwardly extending brackets 92, arranged in cooperating pairs. One bracket has a slot for receiving a locking plate 94 carried by the opposite bracket of the pair. A latch 95 cooperatesl with locking plate 95 to lock thetwo halves together after the explosive has been placed therein.- In order to further stabilize the inner chamber 80 there may be provided a bracket 98 provided with an aperture which registers with another aperture ina downwardly extending bracket |00 'supported' from the ridge member |8,' brackets 98 and |00 being held together by alatch plate I 02 and latch Aplate |04.

In use, 'the explosive is put into the chamber 00 and preferably placedon a support or cradle |06 made of wire mesh hung from the walls of the chamber 80 by coil springs. |08. With the explosive in place on the support |06, near the cen--V terdf chamber 80, the chamber 80 is closedv and locked and then' the outer door 50 is closed and locked and the explosive taken to a remote place as quickly as possible for further examination. However, any explosionfthat might take place prior to such examination would be relatively harmless because of the strength and gaspermeability of the inner andouter chambers. It is important, of course, in dissipating the force of an explosion to allow the hot gases of the explosion to expand and cool as rapidlylhas possible.

into of the inner and outer chambers.. Itv is, of course, equally important that there be no flying fragments, ilrst because of danger to life and property from sch fragments and, secondly, be-

cause of the value of such fragments as clues for tracing themaker of the infernal machineor bomb. y

A Itwo'uldbe possible, under certain conditions, to omit the inner chamber, and rely on outer chamber 2, or to'omit the outer chamber and rely on the inner chamber 80. However, the explosive force of the bomb or infernal machine is an unknown quantity, and for this reason the use of both the outer chamber 2 and inner 'chamber 80 is preferred, as providinga greatly increased factor of safety. t l

While the present preferred embodiment of the invention has been describedin some detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details that have been described, but may be carried out in other ways.

We claim as our invention:

l. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentationl -type, such as infernal maclrlnes, comprising an explosion chamber, completely enclosed, of open- 4meshconstruction formed of heavy metallic intermeshed cables and includingfa oor and-canopy, the mesh permitting escape of the explosion gases but serving to retain fragments resulting from an explosion, and means for supporting the explosive spaced from the floor and canopy.

2. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly .of the fragmentation type, such as infernal machines, a floor frame,

and a roof frame of inverted-U construction sup- Yported thereby, certain-'of the members of the `roof frame being flattened and placed edgewise to the path of the gases resulting from an explosion, a floor supported by thel iioor frame, a canopy .supported by the roof frame, said floorI 'and sure gases, but sufficiently close to retain `flying a floor supported by the floor frame, a canopy supported by the roof frame, said floor and canany being cf` heavy, interlaced metallic cables, providingan openwork construction coarse enough to permit the rapid escape of explosion 's :asesbut fine enough to retain fragments caused by the explosion and means for holding the ex- 'Y plosive spaced from 'the' oor and canopy.

4. A safety device for handling explosives gen'- j erally. and particularly of the 'fragmentation type, such as infernal machines,- a iloor frame, and a roof frame of inverted-U construction supported thereby, certain of the members of the rcaf frame converging toward each other as they approach the top, central part of the fra-me and beine. flattened and' placed edgewis'e tothe path cf the gases resulting from an explosion, a floor s-:pported by the floor frame, a canopy 'supported by the roof frame, said floor and canopy being of heavy, interlaced metallic cables, .providing an openwork construction` coarse enoughi to permit the rapid escape of explosion gases but fine` enough to retain fragments caused by the explosion.

5. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentation type, such as infernal machines, a 4floor frame, and a roof frame of inverted-U construction supported thereby, a oor suspended by and across the floor frame so as to hang in a hammock-like curve, a canopy supported by the roof frame, said floor and canopy being of heavy, interlaced'metallic cables, providing an openwork construction vcoarse enough to permit the rapid escape of exstrong as the walls.A

`'7. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentation type, such as infernal machines, comprising an explosion chamber, completely enclosed, of openmesh constructionformed of heavy metallic lntermeshed cables', the mesh permitting escape of the explosion gases in all directions but serving to retain fragments resulting from explosion, a door, also of open-mesh construction, means for locking the door against the force of the explosion and'means for holding the explosive spaced from the floor Aand canopy.

8. A safety device for handling explosives, comprising an outer chamber, an inner chamber positioned inside the outer chamber, the walls of each of said chambers being lof openwork construction and formed of heavy metallic intermeshed cables for allowing the escape of explosion gasesl and means in the inner chamber for holding the explosive spaced from the walls thereof.

and means in the inner chamber for holding an explosive spaced from the walls thereof.

' 12. A safety device for handling explosives, comprising an outer chamber having a curved roof and a curved oor, and a substantially spherical inner chamber positioned inside the outer .t chamber and spaced from the roof and door thereof, the roof and floor of the outer chamber v and the walls of the inner chamber being of roof and a curved oor, a door for providing access to the outer chamber, and an inner chamber composed of two hemispherical portions hinged together, means for locking said hemispherical portions closed, the walls and floor of the outer chamber and the walls of the inner chamber being of heavy metallic openwork construction for` permitting the escape of explosion gases.

- 14'. A safety device for handling explosives, comprising an outer chamber having a curved roof and a curved floor, a door for providing access to the outer chamber, an inner chamber composed of two hemispherical portions hinged together, means for locking said hemispherical portions closed, the walls and floor of the outer chamber and the Walls of the inner chamber being of heavy metallic openwork construction for perlmitting the escape of explosion gases and means for positioning the inner chamber substantially centrally of the outer chamber, spaced roof 'and floor thereof.

15. A safety device 'for handling explosives, comprising an outer chamber having a curved roof and a curved floor, a door for providing access' to the outer chamber, an inner chamber composed of two hemispherical portions hinged together, means for locking said hemispherical portions closed, the walls and floor of the outer chamber and the walls of the inner chamber being of heavy metallic openwork construction for permitting the escape of explosion gases and means y for positioning the inner chamber substantially 9. A safety device for handling explosives, cm- A prising an outer chamber, and an inner chamber positioned inside the -outer chamber, the inner chamber being spaced from the walls and oor of the outer chamber, the walls of each of said chambers being formed of heavy metallic intermeshed cables for allowing the escape of explosion gases.

10. A safetyl device4 for handling explosives,

and spaced from the walls and floor of the outer chamber, the walls of each of said chambers being formed of heayy metallic intermeshedcables for allowing the escape of explosion gases and means in the inner chamber for holding an explosive spaced from the walls thereof. j, l

1l. A safety i, device for handling explosives, comprising .an outer chamber having a curved roof and a curved floor, and an inner chamber positioned inside the outer chamber and spaced from the roof and floor thereof, the roof and floor of the outer chamber and the walls of the inner chamber being of openwork construction and formed of heavy intermeshed metallic cables forv centrally of the outer chamber, spaced from the roof and floor thereof, the outer chamber comprising flattened frame members placed edgewise with respect to explosion gases escaping from the inner chamber. n

16. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentation type, such asinfernal machines, comprising a two-part, substantially spherical enclosure, formed of a suitable framework and a Wall of heavy, intermeshed metallic cables, arried by said framework, the mesh formed by said cables allowing the escape of explosion gases but serving to retain fragments resulting from an explosion, and means within said enclosure for supporting the explosive spaced from the wall thereof.

1 7. A safety devicefor handling explosives gcnerally, and particularly of the fragmentation type, such as infernal machines, comprising a i two-part substantially spherical enclosure, formed of a suitable framework and a wall of heavy, intermeshed metallic cables, carried by said framework, the mesh formed by said cables allowing the escape of explosion gases but serving to retain fragments resulting from an explosion, the two parts of the framework being hinged to type, such as infernal machines, comprising a 4 gether whereby it may be opened and closed, and means within said enclosure for supporting the explosive spaced from the wall thereof.

18. A safety devicefor handling explosives generally,' and particularly of the fragmentation type, such as infernal machines, comprising a supporting frame and a covering for said frame composed of heavy intermeshed metallic cables providing an open-work construction for permitting the ready escape of explosion gases, but ne enough to retain fragments resulting froml an explosion, certain members of said frame being flattened and placed edgewise with respect to' the travel of the gases resulting from the explosion. f-

19; A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentation type,'such as infernal machines, comprising asupporting frame, a covering for said frame comprisng roof, end and oor portions, composed of heavy intermeshed metallic cables,l providing an openwork construction for permitting the ready escape of explosion gases, but iine enough to retain fragments resulting from an explosion, certain members of said frame being attened and placed edgewise with respect to the travel of the gases resulting from the explosion.

20. A safety device for handling explosives generally, and particularly of the fragmentation supporting frame and a covering for said frame composed of heavy intermeshed metallic cables providing an open-work construction for permitting the ready escape of explosion gases, but fine enough to retain fragments resulting from an explosion, certain members of said frame being flattened and placed edgewise with respect to the placed edgewise with respect to the travel of thev gases resulting from the explosion, and means for supporting the explosive spaced from said covering.

FIORELLO H. L A GUARDIA. 'THOMAS W. ROCHESTER.v

HYMAN W. BARRON JOHN T. GIBALA. 

